Coal drilling apparatus



Oct. 23,l 1934. N. D. LEVIN COAL DRILLING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 20, 1928 AGu Patented ct. 23, 1934 coAL DRILLING APARATUS Nils D. Levin, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company,l Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application october zo, 192s. serial No. 313,882

Renewed July 13, 1933 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in coal drilling appa` `provide a wheel mounted self propelling machine' of the class described adapted to travel along the rails of the mine track from one working place to another and to rest upon andbe braced by said rails during the drilling operation. v f

A further object is yto provide, in a machine of the class described, improved drill supporting devices, whereby the drilling devices may be ex peditiously, conveniently and accurately adjusted to suitably position the blasting holes in relation to the material which is toV be dislodged.

The means whereby I attain thisobject are fully set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying` drawing of which p p y Fig.` 1 is a side elevation ofthe preferred emgbodiment of this invention.

, Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1. y l

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lineIII-III of Fig. 2. p

Like numerals refer to similar parts'` in the several figures.

` In the drawing I have vshown one embodiment of my invention comprising a truck frame v1 mounted upon axles 2 and 3 and these fitted with wheels 'i and 5 adapted to rest upon and travel along the rails 6 of amine track; Mounted upon the truck frame 1 is propelling mechanism adapted to propel the truck along the rails 6 from one working place yto another. As hereshown the truck propelling mechanism comprises an electric `motor 7 `connectible byfsuitable gearing,including the endless chains 8 and 9, with the axles 2 and 3` to actuate them. Current for the actuation of the motor 7 is received through a flexible conductor cable 10 connected and arfranged to be automatically wound and unwound upon the cable reel 11 as thetruck moves toward or from the source of current supply. No means is shown for controlling the actuation of the motor 7 `since such devices are so well understood `in the mining machine artthat their illustration and. description is not thought to be required.

The drilling mechanism is mounted upon a turntable 12 carried bythe truck frame 1 and on this turntable is mounted a motor 13 by which said drilling mechanism is actuated. The motor 13 is preferably an electric motor connected by a flexible conductor cable 14 with the conductors on the cable reel 11. No controlling mechanism is shown for the motor 13 since such devices are well understood in the art and maybe varied to meet individual preference.

Rising from the turntable 12 is a frame 15 in which is formed a journal bearing 16 in alinement with a similar bearing 17 fixed to the frame o-f the electric motor 13, and in these bearings the shaft 18 is journaled. The 'shaft 18 is operatively connected with the motor 13 through the spur gears 19 and 20. Rotatably supported upon the shaft 18 is an arm 21 having a locking member 22 adapted to engage suitable apertures in the annular flange 23 constituting the rim of a dished web formed integral with the frame 15. By the locking member 22 the `arm 21 may be held in the preferred position of angular adjustment about the shaft 18. Rotatably and slidably mounted in journal bearings 23 and 24 of the arm 21 is a shaft 25 having an elongated key seat 26 engaging a suitable key in the hub of the bevel pinionA 27. The pinion 27 engages a bevel gear 28 fixed to the shaft 18 to actuate the shaft 25, and due to the dished conformation of the supporting web for flange 23, the latter vextends over gear 28 to form a guard therefor. The lining sleeve 29 of the journal bearing 24 is elongated and longitudinally slidable and rotatable in the arm 21J 4and is held in the preferred position of longitudinal and rotative adjustment bya clamping member 30 fixed to the arm21. l Fixed to` the outer end ofthe sleeve 29 is a` housing casting 31 in which is mounted the drill feed bar 32 by which the drill tool 33 is carried. The feed bar 32 extends at right angles to the shaft 25 and is rotatively connected thereto by the mitre gears 34 and 35. drill feed bar 32 is screw threaded'in the usual and well knownmanner and is splined to the gear 35 and longitudinally slidable therein.V A clamping feed nut 36 of the usual and `-well known-form, secured to the housing casing 31 is adapted `to. engage the threads of the feed bar 32 to feed the drill tool 33 longitudinally into the materialhwhichfis to be drilled.

In operation when the truck is brought along jthe rails 6 to the desired working place, `and posiltioned adjacent the coal' face the arm 21 is rst angularly adjusted about the shaft .18 and securedin that position by4 engagement of the locking member 22 with the annular flange 23. The sleeve 29 is then longitudinally adjusted The ico

to position the drill 33 and rotated to establish the desired angular relation with the coal face, after which the clamping member 30 is tightened to hold these parts in the desired position of adjustment. When now the motor 13 is actuated the drill feed bar 32, together with the drill tool 33, will revolve. When the feed nut 36 is suitably adjusted the drill tool 33 will be fed forward to engage the coal to cut it. When it is desired to drill into the rib, or any body of coal not extending parallel to the mine track, the turntable may be rotated about its axis upon the truck to obtain the proper working relation with the face on which it is desired to operate.v

In the above described mechanism I have provided a simple, convenient and eflcient drilling apparatus, easily moved from one working place to another, and conveniently adjustable, to drill the coal at the desired point.

It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself l'to the precise construction here shown as there may be wide variation as to detail without departure from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

In a drilling apparatus, a supporting frame, a horizontal shaftI supported in journal bearings of the frame, means to rotate the shaft, an arm mounted for rotary adjustment about said shaft, an annular ange carried by said frame concentric with said shaftylocking mechanism on said arm adapted to engage said flange to lock said arm in the preferred position of angular adjustment, drilling mechanism carried by said arm, and means to operatively connect said drilling mechanism with said shaft as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a support, a shaft journaled in said support, said support having a ared portion concentric with said shaft, an arm pivotally mounted on said shaft for adjustment about the latter in a plane perpendicularthereto, a pin on said arm adapted to engage apertures formed around the periphery of said flared portion to lock the arm in the preferred position of angular adjustment, a gear mounted on said shaft intermediate said support and said arm, drilling mechanism supported at the outer end of said arm, means to rotate said shaft, and power transmitting connections between said gear and said mechanism.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a support, a shaft journaled in said support, said support having` a flared portion concentric with said shaft, an arm pivotally mounted on said shaft for adjustment about the latter in a plane perpendicular thereto, a pin on said armadapted to engage apertures formed around the periphery of said flared portion to lock the arm in the preferred position of angular adjustment, a gear mounted on said shaft intermediate said support and said arm, the flared portion being dished to extend over said gear and form a guard therefor, drilling mechanism supported at the outer end of said arm, means to rotate said shaft, and power transmitting connections between said gear and said mechanism.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, an extensibly adjustable arm extending radially from said shaft, means supporting said arm for swinging movement about said shaft as an axis, a gear on said shaft, a gear on said arm engaging said shaft gear, drilling mechanism supported at the outer end of said arm, a shaft extending longitudinally of said arm and in connection with said drilling mechanism to drive the latter, and a spline connection between said last named shaft and the arm gear.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontal drive shaft mounted to be positioned at substantially right angles to any vertical face to be drilled, means for rotating said shaft, an extensible shaft adjustable about the drive shaft in substantially radial relation thereto, a driving connection between said shafts, supporting means for said extensible shaft comprising telescoping housing sections therefor, means for locking said supporting means to retain the shaft in the desired radial position, means for locking the housing sections in longitudinally adjusted relation, a drill support carried by the housing section remote from the drive shaft, a drill rod rotatably mounted in said support at right angles to said extensible shaft and operable on a line substantially parallel to the drive shaft, and a driving connection between said extensible shaft and drill rod.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontal drive shaft mounted to be positioned at substantially right angles to any vertical face to be drilled, means for rotating said shaft, an extensible shaft adjustable about the drive shaft in substantially radial relation thereto, a driving connection between said shafts, supporting means for said extensible shaft comprising telescoping housing sections therefor, said sections being relatively rotatable, means for locking said supporting means to retain the shaft in the desired radial position, means for locking the housing sections in longitudinally and angularly adjusted relation, a drill support carried by the housing section remote from the drive shaft, a drill rod rotatably mounted in said support at right angles to said extensible shaft and operable on a line substantially parallel to the `drive shaft, and a driving connection between said extensible shaft and drill rod.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a rotary horizontally disposed drive shaft, a transmission shaft extending radially of the drive shaft, a mounting member rotatably supporting the transmission shaft for free swinging movement about the transmission shaft and always in radial relation thereto, a driving connection between said shafts operative in all relative positions of the shafts, manually controllable means for locking the mounting member with the transmission shaft in desired radial position, a drill, means for supporting the drill at the end of the transmission shaft'remote from the drive shaft, and a driving connection between the transmission shaft and the drill.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a rotary horizontally disposed drive shaft, a transmission shaft extending radially of the drive shaft, a mounting member rotatably supporting the transmission shaft for free swinging movement about the transmission shaft and always in radial relation thereto, a driving connection between said shafts operative in all relative positions of the shafts, a circular member fixed in concentric relation to the drive shaft, manually controllable means on the mounting member engageable with the circular member to lock the members together with the transmission shaft in desired radial position, a drill, means for supporting the drill at the end of the transmission shaft remote from the drive shaft, and a driving connection between the transmission shaft and the drill.

9. In drilling apparatus. the combination with a wheeled truck adapted to move along a minetrack and be braced thereby, of a turntable mounted thereon, a supporting frame having a vertical circular outer face adapted to be located in Vertical planes adjacent the front end of the truck and adjacent the sides of the truck, an elongated boom comprising telescopic sections and mounted on said frame for adjustment on a horizontal axis located at the center of said circular face, a drilling tool mounted on the outer extremity of said boom permanently at right angles to the axis thereof and adjustable on the axis of v the boom to various angular positions, said drilling tool being also adjustable to various distances from either side of said truck when the extension of said boom is adjusted, means for clamping together the said telescopic sections to hold the drilling tool in adjusted position relative to the boom, and releasable locking mechanism for securing said boom in adjusted angular relation to said frame through a range of more than 180 to enable the drilling tool to command wide areas between the floor and roof of the mine chamber in the face of the mine vein extending across the space in advance of the mine track and also in the ribs of the mine entry on both sides of the mine track with the drill holes either perpendicularly or angularly related to the upright faces aforesaid.

10. A drilling machine adapted to be moved along a track in a mine entry and to operate while on the track adjacent a face extending transversely of the entry in advance of the machine, said machine comprising a wheeled truck, a boom mounted on said truck at the forward end thereof for swinging movements in a plane parallel to the mine face, a drilling tool supported by said boom at its free end and operable on an axis perpendicular to said plane, said boom being swingable throughout a wide angle to position the drilling tool at either side of the mine track, means for driving said tool, and means for retaining said boom in the desired angular position thereof.

11. A drilling machine adapted to be moved along a track in a mine entry and to operate while on the track adjacent a face extending transversely of the entry in advance of the machine, said machine comprising a wheeled truck, a longitudinally extensible boom mounted on said truck at the forward end thereof for swinging movements in a plane parallel to the mine face, a drilling tool supported by said boom at its free end and operable on an axis perpendicular to said plane, said boom being swingable throughout a wide angle to position the drilling tool at either side of the mine track, means for driving said tool, means for retaining said boom in the desired angular position thereof, and means for retaining said boom in its various extended positions.

12. A drilling machine adapted to be moved along a track in a mine entry and to operate while on the track adjacent a face extending transversely of the entry in advance of the machine, said machine comprising a Wheeled ;truck, a support mounted on said truck and adjustable 100 relative thereto on a vertical axis, a boom mounted on said support at the forward end of the truck for swinging movements on a horizontal axis, adjustment of said support about said vertical axis enabling the positioning of said horizontal axis 105 so that the boom is swingable in a plane parallel to the mine face, a drilling tool supported by said boom at its free end and operable on an axis parallel to said horizontal axis, said boom being swingable throughout a wide angle to position the 110 drilling tool at either side of the mine track to engage the face'perpendicularly when the support is disposed with said horizontal axis perpendicular to said plane, means for driving said tool, and means for retaining said boom in the 

